Parchment and leather heritage. Conservation - Restoration

In the volume we publish papers presented on the international conference Parchment and leather – research, conservation-restoration, craftsmanship organized by the Department of Conservation of Paper and Leather at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń on the 21–24th of October 2010. It was the first conference in Poland devoted entirely to historical objects made on the leather and parchment support. Our proposition met a warm welcome. Specialists from Poland and from abroad could share their experience and get to know the newest state of the art in the field. Topics of presentations were historical cordovans (including Wawel collection), archaeological objects from Nubba, Egypt, Greece and Poland, book covers, old saddles and diverse ethnographic objects. Parchment manuscripts, often illuminated, pastels, Jewish scrolls and finely cut openwork parchment were presented as well. Papers gathered in this book enables deepening the knowledge in the field of preservation of the historical leather objects. Oral presentations were concentrated on the issues of the technique of objects made from the tanned leathers and parchments and on the research regarding to the reasons, kinds and degree of degradation of such objects. Papers focused as well on problems of conservationrestoration treatment and practical solutions of the preventive conservation and related ethical aspects. The conference was honoured with the exhibition Conservationrestoration of cordovans – students and their supervisor, prepared by dr H. Rosa and the harpsichord concert At the Bach’s home by dr R. Moroz.

The papers from the conference are not only crucial informative source, but also the promotion of the work of conservators-restorers of historical objects made on leather and parchment support, speciality, which is now well established part of the world heritage preservation.
Elżbieta Jabłońska

Introduction (Elżbieta Jabłońska) / 9

Justyna Król, Weronika Liszewska, Grażyna Zofia Żukowska
The non-destructive examinations of the illuminated manuscript on parchment „Testamentum Vetus” from the 1st half of the 14th century / 11

Agnčs Le Gac
Preliminary research on glues made of tawed leather, parchment and rabbit-skin / 31

Joanna Karbowska-Berent
Biodeterioration of historic parchment and leather – the summary of research conducted at the Department of Paper and Leather Conservation / 61

Matthew Hatton
Some Early Examples of Sewing Tackets and Thonged Extensions / 85

Marleena Vihakara, Wiebke Marina Findeisen
Conservation and Digitisation of Over 9000 Medieval Parchment Fragments / 93

Ekaterini Malea, Anastasia Tampaka
Technology study and Conservation of thirteen traditional rural shoes of 19th century from Florina region, northern Greece / 103

Violetta Bachur
Parchment megillat ester scrolls from the collection of the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, Poland, Technological and conservation aspects / 111

Ojcumiła Sieradzka-Malec
Gilt Leather at the Wawel Castle: An Overview / 125

Halina Rosa
Conservation – restoration of gilt leather, problems and realization / 137

Grażyna Macander-Majkowska
A pastel portrait on parchment – unique work of art / 151

Ewa Martin-Sobecka
Ethnographic objects made of leather Selected issues / 161

Tomasz Kozielec, Halina Rosa
The analysis of microscope photographs in the assessment of the condition of ancient leathers / 171

Myriam Krutzsch, Claudia Näser, Patricia Engel
Conservation – Restoration of Nubian Leather Finds from the 11th century / 179

Anna Thommée
Preliminary conservation of a Coptic parchment manuscript (9th–10th century), a review of its condition, and nature of its problems / 199

Ryszard Moroz
Cut parchment / 209

Sara Mazzarino
Humidification and tensioning of parchment documents: an evaluation of different techniques / 219

Weronika Liszewska, Jacek Tomaszewski
Problems and questions connected with the conservation of 15th-century parchment codex Breviarium Vladislaviense / 237

Penelope Banou, Ourania Kanakari, Angeliki Stassinou
Patriarchal documents on parchment: Documentation as a tool for conservation in the General State Archives of Greece collections / 253

Izabela Zając
Leather book bindings – traps and surprises / 265

Malaurie Auliac, Aline Leclercq
The technique of leather bookbinding conservation with Japanese tissue / 275

Jolanta Żuk-Orysiak, Ryszard Orysiak
“Missal of Kraśnik” (c. 1400) – Selected issues of conservation and restoration / 295

Beata Ceynowa
Conservation and restoration of leatherwork recovered from excavations in Gdańsk / 311

Małgorzata Grupa
Conservation methods of archaeological leather applied in the Institute of Archaeology of NCU in Toruń / 321

Bartosz Iwaszkiewicz, Halina Rosa
Conservation and restoration of the archeological leather objects from Gdańsk History Museum / 329

Ryszard Moroz
Briefcase of Freiherr vom Stein and gothic book casket – conservation of coated leather / 335

Dorota Jutrzenka-Supryn
Conservation of the western saddle from the collection of the Museum of Horsemanship and Hunting – diversity of materials and resulting problems of conservation treatment / 343

Elżbieta Górska-Wikło
“Blackhouse Charters preservation program” / 355

Małgorzata Pronobis-Gajdzis
Leather and parchment in historical codices – ethical issues / 367

Elżbieta Jabłońska, Małgorzata Pronobis-Gajdzis, Jolanta Czuczko
Copying of precious documents and archival books as good practice of protection during exhibiting and access / 377

Dariusz Subocz
The machines and bookbinder devices in the collection of Literature and Printing Museum in Grębocin / 385

Elżbieta Jabłońska

Tomasz Kozielec